Executive Director's Message: Spring Brings Hope!

The changing of the seasons seems perfectly timed in 90-day intervals. Yet the unrelenting, icy grip of this winter just seems to linger on. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, spring is on the horizon, and we hope to be putting winter weather behind us soon. (I realize this is geographically biased, but who can’t commiserate with our colleagues in Boston with over 100 inches of snow?!) So let’s ‘think Spring’ (for those in the northern hemisphere), and ‘embrace Fall’ (for those in the southern hemisphere).

Next month we will be gathering in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the Sixth Annual AIS Student Chapter Leadership Conference and Competition, this year hosted by the University of Alabama and sponsored in part by QVC and Price Waterhouse Coopers. If your university does not yet sponsor a student chapter, and is looking for a proven way to increase IS enrollments, please plan to join us at the SCLC to learn more about the benefits. Registration is free!

At ICIS in Auckland, we recognized the 2014 Outstanding Student Chapters. Read more about it and be inspired about the strength of our future IS practitioners.

Speaking of Auckland, the AIS Council (under the leadership of President Helmut Krcmar) conducted one of its two annual face-to-face meetings there. It was a very full agenda, which focused on strategic planning and policy decisions to help strengthen the association and deliver more value to members. Here are some of the highlights:

Approved two new networking opportunities: SIG C-Cubed and SIG OPEN.And don’t forget the previously approved AIS Women’s Network (whose bylaws have now been approved.)Read more about it in Julie Kendall’s recent InSider article.

Approved the funding of an iThenticate license to assure AIS journals and proceedings retain the highest level of scholarly integrity and in compliance with the AIS Code of Research Conduct.